A new research has found out that helping strangers can help teenagers improve their self-esteem and confidence.

Adolescents who revealed pro-social behaviour such as helping, sharing, caring and comforting the strangers later experienced an immense self-esteem. However, the same was not true for those who had revealed pro-social behaviour merely to their friends and family, says the study which was published in the Journal of Adolescence.

"This study helps us to understand those young people who help those with whom they do not have a relationship report feeling better about themselves over time," said lead author Laura Padilla-Walker, Professor at Brigham Young University in the US.

"Given the importance of self-esteem during the teen's years, this is an important finding. It suggests there might be something about helping strangers that impacts one's moral identity or perceptions of self in a more significant way than helping friends or family members, although these are beneficial behaviour as well," said Padilla.